Trusses for supporting sectional removable trays used in refining towers and the like



May 27, 1958 1. E. NUTTER 2,336,405

TRUSSES FOR SUPPORTING SECTIONAL REMOVABLE TRAYS USED IN REFINING TOWERS AND THE LIKE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 28, 1955 INVENTOR IRVIN E. NUTTER ATTORNEY;

May 27, 1958 I. E. NUTTER 2,835,405

TRUSSES FOR SUPPORTING SECTIONAL REMOVABLE TRAgS USED IN REFINING TOWERS AND THE LIKE 195 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 28 6 1 w 9 2 1 en 2 8 3 2 "m 6 3 3 2 3 4 2 5 7 5 l I 3 5 4 2 M 2 7 B M 5 2 P 4 M 2 6 2 M H u 4 6 7 8 2 45 4 I l 5 5 3 4 3 o 7 4 m 2 FIG. 3.

I e I I I o I ----r------ FIG.5.

INVENTOR mvm E. NUTTER I AM} ATTORNEY}? United States Patent TRUSSES FOR SUPPORTING SECTIONAL REMOV- ABLE gEAYs USED IN REFINING TOWERS AND THE L Irvin E. Iutter, Amarillo, Tex.

Application March 28, 1955, Serial No. 497,165

6 Claims. (Cl. 261-414) The present invention relates to improvements in trusses for supporting trays formed of sectional removable deck or floor plates used in a liquid and fluid contact apparatus, such as a refining tower, a bubble tray tower, and the like.

An important object is to provide a simple, eflicient and inexpensive truss support for use in various types and sizes of bubble towers. Each of the trays. is formed of readily detachable decks or sectional floor plates that can be installed or dismantled at a minimum expenditure of time and effort. These tray decks are made of light gauge metal which may normally be regular carbon steel, but may also be durable alloys such as stainless steel, Monel metal or non-ferrous material inert to the ele ments in the system in which they are used. Adjacent deck plates or sections are detachably connected by vertically disposed supporting truss members normally thicker and made of the same quality material as the deck plates but which may be made of a lower cost material when alloys are used in the deck plates. Each of these truss members has an intermediate oflset shoulder so as to provide an upper edge portion and a lower edge portion disposed above and below the elevation of the tray. Adjacent deck or flow plates are connected to opposite sides of the truss member, one above the tray and the other below the same so as to permit convenient removal of a sectional deck plate and its associated truss member from either above or below the tray and without disturbing the position of the other deck plates or parts.

A further object consists in associating with each of the trays of a bubble tower, a self-positioning removable down comer baflle spaced from the adjacent wall of the tower to provide a downcomer passage. The downcomer battle is preferably in the form of a depending plate having an intermediate offset shoulder arranged to be positioned substantially in transverse or horizontal alignment with an adjacent deck plate and having an upwardly extending side portion which is connected to the adjacent tray by a vertically disposed truss member and in substantially the same manner as adjacent deck plates are connected to each other.

Another object comprehends the provision of a combined tray and downcomer unitary assembly formed or" adjacent sections which are connected by truss members in such a manner as to permit contraction andexpansion of the parts upon temperature changes, and which provides an improved fastening means for securing the deck plate sections and the downcomer plates to the trusses within the tower at a minimum expenditure of time and effort.

A further object is to provide novel fastening means for .detachably connecting the sectional deck or floor plates to the trusses so as to facilitate the quick attachment or detachment of the trays and their associated parts, and in such a manner as to automatically compensate for misalignment and structural irregularities so that the trusses may be accurately fastened in position when the parts of the tower are assembled.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from-the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying claims and drawings.

Referring to the drawings, in which is disclosed a preferred embodiment the invention may assume:

Figure 1 is a sectional plan view of a bubble tray tower constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 33 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 44 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a sectional view takensubstantially along the line 5-5 of Figure 1 with the bolts and near side deck section removed; and

Figure 6 is a perspective exploded View of a sectional tray and a vertically disposed truss member for detachably connecting the adjacent tray sections together.

Referring to the drawings, 11? indicates a gas and liquid contact apparatus in the form of a cylindrical tower which may be of any suitable size and diameter, as the particular operating conditions may require. The inner wall of the tower 10 is provided with vertically spaced segmental flanges or curved interrupted members 11 that extend inwardly a limited distance (Fig. 1) so as to constitute supports for the ends of the trays 12. The trays are disposed at vertically spaced intervals within the tower and may vary in number in accordance with the size of the tower and its particular use. Each of the trays 12 is provided with transversely disposed elongated flow openings 13 arranged in transverse rows that allows the gas or vapor to flow from below each of the trays to a point above the same so as to provide intimate contact and mixing of the upward flowing vapor with the descending liquid as the latter moves across each of the trays. The flow openings 13 may be closed by angulariy shaped valve members 14 which constitute floating or movable pivotal valves maintained in position by the retaining brackets 15 connected by rivets or removable fasteners as at 16 to the trays. These float valves 14 may be substantially similar in construction and operation to the floating valve mechanism disclosed in my Patent No. 2,718,900, dated September 27, 1955.

Each of the trays 12 is formed of one or more separate detachable or sectional deck plates 17 of substantially the same shape but may be of varying Widths and lengths, one of which is of special form such as a side plate 18 (Fig. 2). Each of the deck or floor plates 17 has at one edge an upwardly extending flange 19 (Fig. 6) co-extensive in length with the adjacent edge of plate 17 and at its opposite edge has a depending flange 20 with a cut-out portion 21 so as to be of less length than that of the adjacent edge of plate 17. The adjacent deck plates 17 are so arranged that an upwardly extending flange 19 of one plate will be disposed adjacent to a depending flange 29 of an adjacent plate. A vertically disposed truss member 22 is positioned between adjacent flanges 19 and 20. The truss member 22 is formed with an intermediate offset shoulder 23 which is positioned above the adjacent supporting member 11 (Fig. 4) so as to provide the truss member 22 with an upper portion 24 projecting above and over the member 11 and a depending lower side portion 25 spaced from and below the same. The side deck plate 18 of each tray has at one edge, a depending flange 26 (Fig. 2) and at its opposite edge, a fiat portion 27 which overlaps the free edge 28 of a fixed downcomer sealing plate or pan 29 which is connected to the inner wall of the tower in any suitable manner such as by welding 30. The free inner edge 28 of each of the plates 29 may be raised above the same'a'nd connected to the body of the plate by'an inclined portion 31.- The edge plate 18 is detachably connected to the plate 29 preferably by the threaded bolts 32, each of which extends through openings in portion 27 of plate 18, positioned inside" of. the inner lip of portion 28 of plate'29, and are hiain'tainedin a fixed position by the nuts 33 threaded to the upper ends of the bolts I and the" substantially L-shaped clamping members 34,-adjacent to the lower ends of the bolts,

V The depending flange 26 of the side plate 18 and the depending flange of each of the plates 17 are provided with a transverse row of openings 37' (Fig. 6) 'which' register witli'complementary formed elongated slots 33 in the, lower edge portion of each of the truss members 22. Threaded carriage bolts 39 (Fig. 4) extend throughthe registering openings 37 and slots 33 so as to clamp'the depending flanges 20 to the lower portion 25 of the truss 22'below the supporting member 11, when the nut 40 is threaded on the bolt 39 (Fig. 4). Similarly, each of the upwardly extending flanges 19 of the deck'plates 17 is provided with openings 41 (Fig. 4) arranged to register with elongated transverse slots 42 in each "of the upper edge portions 24 of the trusses 22 and be maintained firmly, but releasably, in clamped position by the threaded bolts 43 and the retaining nuts 44. In the assembly of the plates 17 and 18 or two'adjacent plates 17 (Fig.4) to a truss 22 the'bolts 39 and 43 are inserted from the truss side so a square shoulder on the bolts, immediately adjacent the round heads closely fit the narrow width of the 'slots 33 and 42 in truss member 22 to prevent rotation ofthe bolts while tightening or loosening the nuts 40 and itland allow longitudinal i a tight seal when these parts are assembled. Similar adjustrnentof the truss members to properly position 7 them in the tower. By reason of the provision of the offset portion 23 immediately above each of the supporting flanges or members 11, the bolts 39 and 43 are positioned so as to permit the convenient individual installing or removing of the deck plates 17 or 18 without obstruction by the round heads of the bolts39 and 43.

Each of the trays 12 on the side opposite to the sealing plate or pan 29 (Fig. '2) is provided with a depending downcomer plate or baffle 45' which may vary as to height depending upon the tray spa-cingrequirements of the tower. Each downc'omer plate 45 is spaced from the adjacent inner wall of the tower 16 (Fig. 2) to form the downcomer passage 57 and is preferably inclined so as to slope outwardly 'at its lower end. The opposite ends of the downcomer plate 45 are 'detachably connectedto spaced transversely aligned vertical bars fixedto the inner wall of the tower 1t and extending inwardly a limited distance so as to be overlapped by the adjacent marginal ends or sides of the downcoirier plates i5 (Fig. 3). The plate d5 may be of any vertical height and, as shown, preferably is provided with a depending extension or section 47 having its ends or side s overlapping adjacent edges of-the bars or flanges 46 and its upper edge formed with an inwardly-and laterally extending flange 48 that abuts a complementary formed flange 49 on the lower edge of the plate 45, and is detacha'bly secured thereto by the bolts dtt-and nuts 51 (Fig. 2 The ends of flanges 48 and 49 (Fig. 3) terminate short of the ends of plates 45fand 47 sufficient to permit the ends of plates' tS and .47 throughout their full width, to lay flat against bars 46. The downcomer plate 45 and its extension 47 are detachably connected to the flanges 45 in any suitable manner preferably by the L shape'd clamps 34, previously described, each of whichhas its horizontal portion 36 arranged tobe rotated by the bolt 32 so as to engage the adjacent side of a bar 46 for the purpose of clamping the plates 45 and 47 in a fixed position. A sealing gasket 52. (Fig. 2) is preferably,

interposed between the vertica bar 46 and the marginal ends of the downcomer plates 45am 4! so as to provide gaskets may be positioned between the trays'12 andtheir supporting members 11 and lip portion 38 of plate 29 if desired.

Each of the downcorner plates 45 has, in its upper area, an intermediate oliset horizontal portion 54 which terminates in an upwardly .extending edge portion 55 (Fig. 2). The ofliset portion 54 is positioned so as to rest on theends of supportingmembers 11 and the edge portion 55 extends vertically upward, and usually pref erably above adjacent upper portion 24 of the truss mernber 22, so as to be clamped to truss member 22 by bolts 56 and nuts 61 that extend through slots {52 in the truss member'and aligned openings 41 in the edge portion 55.:

Above each tray and adjacent its associated downcomer plate 45 are transversely spaced aligned blanking plates or members 53 (Fig. 1) which are adjustably attached by the bolts 56 at the ends of upwardly extended edge portion 55 so as to be positioned in contact with the inner wall of the tower It). Thus, it will be seen that each downcorner plate 45 is detachably connected to an ad jacent truss member so as .to facilitate the assemblingand disassembling of the parts. Moreover, each of the plates 53 coacts with the ends of upper side portion 55 of the" plate 45 to constitute an exit weir of me desired height to" 7 form a liquid seal for the downcomer passage 57, on thev other side of the tower, in order to prevent the upward cent ends of side portions 55 of plate 45, the blanking" plates 53 may be longitudinally adjusted outwardly to the inner wall of tower 10 to prevent the flow of liquid around the ends of the exit weir.

The ends of the lower portion 25 of each of the truss members 22 is reduced as at 58 (Fig. '6) so as to provide the outwardly extending end portions 59 which overlap and rest upon the segmental flange or ring section 11' (Fig. 5) when the parts are assembled. The flanges 20 are the same length as the lower portions25 of the truss member 22. The upwardly extending flange 19 of each of the trays 17 extends the full lengthofthetrayand extends over the supporting flange "11 to the end of the outwardly extending portion 59 of the truss 22. The reduced shoulder portion 21'atthe opposite ends of each flange 20 is provided so that the horizontal portion of the tray 17, in this area, extends the full width over the recess 21 in order to fit snugly against the truss member 22-as at 69 (Fig. 4) when the parts are assembled.

Thus it will be seen that in operation, each tray is provided with a downcomer seal pan 29 which're'ceives the fluid as it is discharged from a downcomer passage 57 immediately above the tray. The descending liquid is conveyed from the seal pan 2 across'the tray and over the overflow weir into the dow'ncomer passage 57, positioned on the opposite side of the tower and onto the lower tray and across the same,,so as to insure the flow ofithe liquid in a sinuous or tortuous path across the tower during contact operation. Each exit weir, formed by. the plate '53 and the upper end portion 55' of the plate 45, extends above the bottomof the tray so as'to form a liquid seal for the downcomer passage 57, on the other side of theto'wer, in order to prevent the upward flow.

of gas or vapor through the passage 57 when flow is initiated. In other words, the gas or vapor is forced to take its normal course when passing through the bubble tower through the flow regulating openings 13 and their associated parts. The detachable or sectional plates forming the trays 12 and the downcomer baffle plates 45, are sufliciently narrow enough in width, to pass through the manway openings of the tower, so that they may be installed or removed from the tower at a minimum expenditure of time, labor and cost. While each of the trays is shown formed of three sections, it will be manifest that any number of sections may be used depending on the size of the tower. In any event, each tray will have at least one deck plate 18 for attachment to a plate or pan 29 at the liquid entrance of the tray. Any number of detachable panels 17 may be used depending on the size and shape of the tower 10. While the downcomer plate 45 is.shown provided with an extension 47, the latter may be omitted or one or more intermediate plates may be provided if the tray spacing is large enough to require such an extra vertical span.

The parts of the tray assembly are preferably assembled by first connecting the downcomer baflle plate 45 to the fixed vertical flange members 46 by the clamps 34 and then clamping the upper side portion 55 to the adjacent truss member 22 by the bolts 56 (Fig. 1). Longitudinally adjustable plates 53 are attached at the ends of side portions 55 by the end bolts 56 while the downcomer baffle plates 45 are being attached to vertical flange members 46. If the extension 47 is to be used, it may then be clamped to the lower end of the plate 45 by the bolts 50 and nuts 51. The section 47 is then clamped to the fixed flanges 46 by the clamps 34. After the downcomer sections are installed, tray panels 17 and intermediate trusses 22 are consecutively installed from the downcomer side of tower towards the liquid entrance side until the complete tray is assembled.

Thus, it will be seen that the decks or flow plates of each tray are detachably connected together by means of the vertically disposed truss members and in such a manner, that each section may be disconnected from either above or below the tray. Moreover, the parts are readily accessible for being dismantled or reinstalled without disturbing the position of the other parts. The downcomer baflie associated with each tray is also detachably connected to an adjacent tray by a truss member so that both the deck plates and the downcomer plates may be easily and quickly installed or dismantled and in such a manner as to permit contraction or expansion of the assembly upon temperature changes. Additionally, the truss members are longitudinally adjustably connected to the deck plates and the downcomer plates so as to provide means which compensate for misalignment and structural irregularities, thus insuring the trusses being accurately and positively fastened to the sections of the trays so as to be maintained in proper position when the parts are assembled.

While the truss members for connecting the tray sec tions together are shown associated with removable downcomers, it will be manifest that they may with equal efliciency be used with fixed downcomers and with downcomers disposed centrally or between the sides of the tray plates.

It will be understood that the form of the invention shown is merely illustrative and that such changes may be made as come within the scope of the following claims:

I claim:

1. in a gas and liquid contact apparatus of the class described, a tray including separate transversely disposed deck plates, means supporting the ends of the plates within the apparatus, the side plates of each tray being spaced from the adjacent inner wall of the apparatus, adjacent deck plates having edge flanges extending vertically in opposite directions, a vertically disposed ofiset truss member between adjacent plates and in contact with the adjacent flanges thereon, one of each of the adjacent plates and its flanged edge being positioned on one side of the truss member and the other adjacent plate and its flanged edge being positioned on the opposite side of the truss member, said truss members having an intermediate offset shoulder portion above the supporting means, a fixed support member extending inwardly from the apparatus adjacent one side of the tray, means for detachably connecting each side plate to an adjacent fixed support member, a depending downcomer plate at the opposite side of the tray, said downcomer plate having an intermediate oflset shoulder portion resting on said supporting member and having an upwardly extending edge portion in contact with the side of an adjacent truss member, and means connecting the truss member to said overlapped edge portion.

2. in a gas and liquid contact apparatus of the class described, a tray including separate transversely disposed deck plates, means supporting the plates within the apparatus, each of said deck plates having an upwardly extending flange at one edge and a depending flange at its opposite edge, a vertically disposed offset truss member between adjacent plates and in contact with the adjacent flanges thereon, one of each of the adjacent plates and its flanged edge being positioned on one side of the truss member and the other adjacent plate and its flanged edge being positioned on the opposite side of the truss member, means for connecting the truss member to the adjacent flanges on opposite sides of the truss member, a depending baflle connected to one side of the tray and spaced from the adjacent wall of the apparatus to provide a downcomer passage, said baflle having an intermediate oflset portion above the horizontal supporting means and terminating in an upwardly extending weir flange, and means for connecting the weir flange to an adjacent truss member.

3. In a gas and liquid contact apparatus of the class described, a tray including separate transversely disposed deck plates, means supporting the plates within the apparatus, each of said deck plates having an upwardly extending flange at one edge and a depending flange at its opposite edge, a vertically disposed oflset truss member between adjacent plates and in contact with the adjacent flanges thereon, one of each of the adjacent plates and its flanged edge being positioned on one side of the truss member and the other adjacent plate and its flanged edge being positioned on the opposite side of the truss member, a depending baifle connected to one side of the tray and spaced from the adjacent wall of the tower to form a downcomer passage, said baflle having an intermediate oifset portion above the supporting means and terminating in an upwardly extending weir flange, means connecting the ends of the baflle to the inner wall of the tower, and means connecting the upper side portion of the baflie to an adjacent truss member.

4. A gas and liquid contact tower including vertically spaced removable trays transversely disposed within the tower, means for supporting the trays, each of the trays including separate side plates and at least one intermediate plate, a horizontally disposed sealing pan fixed to the inner Wall of the apparatus and having a free inner edge supporting the outside edge of said side plate, means detachably connecting the edge of last mentioned side plate to said inner edge of the sealing pans, the remaining deck plates each having an upwardly extending flange at one edge and a depending flange at its opposite edge, the adjacent deck plates having their flanges extending in opposite directions, a vertically offset truss member between adjacent flanges, one of each of the adjacent plates and its flanged edge being positioned on one side of the truss member and the other adjacent plate and its flanged edge being positioned on the opposite side of the truss member, means for detachably connecting each of the truss members to said flanges on opposite sides of the truss member and at points above essence,

' and below the supporting means for the tray, the other comer; baj'fle extending downwardly into said passage,

said bafile having an intermediate horizontally offset shoulder s'ubstantiallyin alignment with the'adjacent tray, the upper side portion of said bafile projecting above the tray, the adjacent deck plate having a depending flange spaced adjacent the baffle, a vertically disposed truss member between the baflie and said last mentioned dQPCnding flange, andv means for connecting the truss member to the baffle and the depending flange on on posite sides of the truss member.

5. A gas and liquid contact tower having vertically spaced trays extending transversely thereof, each of said trays being formed of separate deck plates, adjacent plates having vertical flanged edges extending in opposite directions, a vertically oflset truss member between said flanged edges, one of each of the adjacent plates and its flanged edge being positioned on one side of the trussmember and the other adjacent plate and its flanged edge being positioned on the opposite side of the truss member, means connecting said truss members to said flanged edges, said tower having oppositely disposed means for supporting the adjacent ends of the plates, each of said trays at one side having a depending downcomer baflle spaced from the adjacent wall of the tower,

said downcomer baflle having an upper side portion and a lower side portion connected by an offset shoulder positioned above the plate supporting means, the upper side portion of said downcomer bathe in contact with an, adjacent truss member, and means connecting the upper side portion of the downcomer baflle to the adjacent truss'member. v

6. A gas and liquid contact tower including vertically,

spaced removable trays transversely disposed within the tower, each tray including separate deck plates, adjacent deck plates having side flanges extending vertically in;

opposite directions, means for supporting the ends of the plates within the; tower, the opposite sides of each tray being vspaced from the inner walLof the tower, a fixed sealing pan extending inwardly from the tower adjacent one side of the tray, means detachably connect ing the adjacent deck plate to the sealing pan, a vertically disposed oflset-truss member between adjacent plates and in contact with the adjacent flanges thereon, one of each of the adjacent plates and its flanged edge being positioned on one side of the truss member and the other adjacent plate and its flanged edge being positic-ned on the opposite side of the truss member, means connecting each of the truss members to the adjacent flanges on opposite sides of the truss member, a depend-- ing balfle at the side of each tray opposite said sealing pan and spaced from the adjacent wall of the tower to form a downcomer passage, said baflle having an upper side portion and a lower side, portion connected by an offset shoulder, said shoulder being positioned upon the supporting means, and means connecting the upper side portion of the baffle to an adjacent truss member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,311,867 Plante Feb. 23', 1943 2,420,075 Glitsch May 6, 1947 2,582,826 Glitsch' Jan. 15, 1952 2,681,219 Thrift et al; June 15, 1954 2,699,929 Bowles Jan. 18, 1955 

